Satpara Development Project (SDP)

The project has achieved majority of the project targets and remaining targets will be achieved by December 2017. USAID has asked SDP to submit a proposal worth of US$ 1.0 million by end of September for rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure which was damaged due to recent floods in Skardu. If this proposal is approved then SDP project will be extended till December 2018, otherwise the project will be closed in December 2017 as per the agreement.

AKRSP replicated the good models developed by the project in other areas/projects, including new technology developed for water efficiency, community driven water management and improved agriculture produce through introduction of passive solar green houses.

By end of August 2017, a total of 156 Water User Association and 24 Farmers Organizations are formed and strengthened. Irrigation infrastructure (23 primary and secondary channels; 145 tertiary channels) with the total length of 181 km has been constructed and handed over to the farming community in Skardu district of Baltistan region.

During the project period, over 353 Passive greenhouses been constructed which have created round the year source of income (42 million) for 424 farmers including 360 women. 36900 fruit plants of certified fruit varieties sold from the supported nurseries by farmers and the total sale value of these plants was PKR 11,100,000. Moreover, 20 tons of fresh fruits worth of cash value PKR 2.00 million sold from the orchards supported by SDP in Skardu district. The annual expected cash revenues generated from the all the 57 orchards established by SDP is PKR 157 million after the fruit trees in these orchard reach to full growth in next 5 years. Expected maximum employment generation in the value chain are 600 out of which 424 farmers are already employed in these orchards.

Results of SDP interventions in District Skardu are that there is 300%, 100% and 400% increase over the baseline figures in terms value of sales from marketing of cherries, fresh and dry apricot and fresh vegetables respectively.